Steam generator for steaming appliances



Sept. 1, 1942. H. L. sHAPlRo Erm.

- SKTEAM GENERATOR FOR STEAMING APPLIANCES Filed 1mg.- 9, 1941 n 3 Sheets-Sheet -l Herbert L.

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STEAM GENERATOR FOR S'TEAMING APPLIANCS Filed Aug. 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A NN y 7W@ WM Kmwzzwm@ Talenten Dept. l., 1.545

STEAM GENERATOR FOR STEAMIN G APPLIANCES Herbert L. Shapiro and Ole Skutley, Chicago, Ill.; said Skutley assigner to said Shapiro Application August 9, 1941, Serial No. 406,218

(Cl. 21S-38) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to steam generators and more particularly to portable units adapted for use in combination with pressing irons and with steaming appliances employed in vapor treating fabrics, furs or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an electrically heated portable device arranged for substantially instantaneous generation of steam from cold water whereby only such quantities of steam as are immediately required are generated, thereby obviating the potentially dangerous accumulation of excessively high pressures in the steam generating chambers.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above character wherein the steam is very highly vaporized and the liability of discharge of condensate eliminated.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above character which is relatively light in weight and which permits maximum maneuverability in operation, being efliciently operable at any position in which it may be tilted. i

A still further object of this invention is the provision in a device of the above character, of

ka thermostatic control for the electrical heating means for preventing damage to same while steam is not being generated.

A still further object of this invention is the provision in a device of the above character of means for adjusting the temperature of the heating element and the rate of now of feed water whereby substantially all of the feed water entering the apparatus is substantially instantaneously converted into steam.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view with parts fractionally illustrated in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the parts shown fractionally in elevation in Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a detail.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of same looking in the direction of the arrows 8, 8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in cross section of a modified form of my invention.

The invention consists of steam generating means comprising a housing provided with thermostatically controlled electrical heating means and water injecting means for controlling the supply of feed water admitted into the steam generating chambers. The housing is constructed of a plurality of component parts which when in assembled relation provide a series of chambers and interconnecting conduits disposed at various elevations. Disposed substantially centrally of said housing and intermediate other chambers in the housing is a longitudinal bore adapted to receive an electrical heating element. The said element is contained in a cylindrical housing having on its outer surface a helical groove or a series of grooves arranged in any desirable pattern to provide a continuous passage for steam through the various chambers. The groove or grooves similarly may be formed in the longitudinal bore of the housing. Feed water is delivered to the injecting means under pressure from a supply tank. The injecting means is provided with a valve adjustable for controlling the flow of feed water whereby to balance the same against'I the heat output and so control the flow of generated steam. The construction of the device is such that its operating einciency remains constant through every position of operation.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral I0 indicates, generally, our device connected to a source of feed water supply designated by the numeral I2 and hereinafter to be described.

Our device comprises a body portion I3 to which is secured a sole plate I4 and a handle I5. The boy portion I3 is formed preferably of a. casting of light metal, such/asaluminum, and is cored to provide intercommunicating steam generating chambers Il and I8, the chamber I8 being plugged, as at 20. A threaded water inlet opening 2I is provided in the top of the body portion I3 and communicates with the chamber I8. A suitable union device is received in the opening 2| and serves to connect the apparatus to a feed water supply, as will hereinafter be described. Provided in the top surface of the body portion I3 is a central opening 22 internally Fig. 7 is an elevational view of another detail. 55 threaded and arranged to receive a dome shaped bored, as at 33, to provide clearness for the ow of feedwater and steam through the passages 32. Positioned within the chamber I1 is a sleeve 34 having a threaded aperture 36 alined with the passage 26 for accommodating the reduced end portion 29 of the member 21. The ends of the sleeve 34 are tapered interiorly to provide seats for complementary engaging surfaces of the end nuts 31 and 38, the nut 38 being of the cap type and providing a closure for the sleeve 34. Positioned in the sleeve 34 is a cylindrical shell 40 having on its surface a continuous helical groove 4I and having threaded ends for receiving the nuts 31 and 38. It will be understood that the groove above referred to may assume any desired pattern and may be formed in the inner surface of the sleeve 34. As is seen in Fig. 2, the portions of the shell 40 adjoining the helical groove 4I at each end are of reduced diameter to provide clearance for the passage of fluid through the alined apertures 43 and 44 of the sleeve 34 and body portion I3 respectively. Arranged within the shell 46 and extending substantially the full length thereof is an electrical heating element 45 having its terminals passing through the shell 40 and connected to contact posts 41. The shell 4i) is plugged at both ends, a metal plug being tted in the end 46 and a ceramic plug being tted at the other end 48, the latter plug accommodating the terminal portions of the electrical element 45.

Secured to the nut 31, as by screws, is a substantially U shaped member 49, shown in elevation in Fig. 5. The member 49 is formed preferably of a, nut similar to the nut 38, but is cut down in height and has secured on its upper surfaces, as by screws, a strip like member 50 having downwardly directed end portions 5I. The member 50 is provided with a pair of apertures 52 in which the contact posts 41 are received, the said posts being suitably secured to the member 50 and being insulated against electrical contact therewith.

The plate member 53 having a looped portion 54 is secured to the member 49, as by screws, and serves as a shield or guard for the electrical connections and contact posts 41.

The under side of the body portion I3 is recessed to provide a relatively large hollow space 55 and the walls defining same are provided with abutment shoulders 51. A casting 58 provided with flanges 59 is received in the hollow space 55 with the anges 59 abutting the shoulders 51 and secured thereto. A pair of bores E0 are provided in the casting 58 for passage of the steam. Referring to Fig. 1, it is seen that chambers 6I and 62 formed in the hollow space 55 are substantially alined with the apertures 43 and 44 and that the floors of these chambers are below the entrances to the bores 60. Thus, a trap is provided for any condensate with may be in the apparatus. A sole plate I4 provided with a plurality of steam discharge orices 63 is secured, as by screws, to the casting 58 and to the body portion I3.

suitably mounted on the body portion I3 is handle member l5 in which is contained the feed water control,V presently to be described. As seen in Figure 4, the handle member is hollowed out to accommodate two tubular sections 66 and 61. An electric wire 64 is contained in the section 66 and is connected to a connector plug 69 and to a thermostatic control 10 which is arranged for electrical contact with the contact posts 41.

The tubular section 61 is formed of two parts 12 and 13 in threaded engagement with each other, the part 13 having a reduced internal bore 14 which serves as a bearing for the valve stem 15. The said valve stem is provided with collars 16 and 'I1 and a needle valve portion 18. A diaphragm is mounted on the valve stem 15 and has its peripheral portions anchored in the valve housing BI, thus providing an air tight seal between the needle valve portion 18 and the body of the valve stem 15. The end of the valve stem 15 is threaded to receive a swivel joint 82 which is arranged for sliding movement in the tubular section 13. A pivoted finger engaging lever 83 is in engagement with the swivel rod 84 and is arranged to move the valve stem 15 against the pressure of the spring 85 to unseat the needle portion 18 from the valve seat 86 and thus to open the valve. The movement of the valve stem is limited in one direction by the valve seat 86 and in the other direction by the shoulder 81.

A suitable union 88 connects a flexible hose 59 to the valve housing 8|, the hose being connected to a source of feed water supplied under pressure. For illustrative purposes, the source of feed water is shown as a tank 9I provided with an air pump 92 for building up pressure within the tank. An arrangement such as above described is desirable because of its portable character.

Communicating with the valve structure hereinabove described, as by a conduit 94, is another valve construction indicated generally by the numeral 95. The said valve construction includes a valve housing 96 and a manually operable needle valve stem 91 and is arranged to provide a variable orifice through which feed water enters the steam generating apparatus. By this means, the operator may continuously adjust the rate of flow of feed water to the temperature of the heating element in such relation so as 4to generate steam substantially instantaneously.

The valve 95 communicates with an expansion chamber 98 disposed directly over the opening 2| of the body portion I3.

In Figure 9 is shown a modified construction. Here the sole plate has been modied to accommodate a heating element IBI for heating same so that the apparatus may be used as an electrically heated steam iron.

In operation, the tank SI is rst filled with water and air is pumped in so that the water will feed under pressure to the apparatus. The electrical heating element 45 is then switched on and when a sufficiently high temperature is reached the apparatus is ready for use. When the control lever 83 is rocked upwardly, the needle valve 18 is unseated and water will flow through the valve, through the conduit 94, through the valve 95, into the chamber Inwhere it is almost entirely converted into steam, particularly upon contact with the member 21 which, as will be seen in Fig. 2, engages the shell 46 and is in elTect a hot spot.

5 The passages 32 in the member 21 provides a maximum surrace exposed ror contact with tne water in the chamber I8. From the chamber I8, the steam passes through the passage 30 into the chamber Il where it flows in the helical groove 4l towards the ends of the chamber. In this chamber the steam is substantially super-heated and all particles of water which may have escaped from chamber I8 are converted into steam. The steam then passes through the alined apertures 43 and 44 into the chambers 6l and 62, through the bores U and is discharged through the orifices 63 in the sole plate.

From the foregoing, it will thus be seen that we have provided an ecient steam generating device in which substantially instantaneous generation of steam is eiected in quantities suicient to meet immediate requirement, without the danger of excessive steam pressure.

We claim:

1. A steam generator of the character described comprising a body member having a longitudinal bore provided with a channel, an elec- ,trical heating element disposed within said bore, a chamber formed in said body member over said bore and having a passage communicating therewith, a heat exchanger received in said passage, said heat exchanger comprising a body portion having a plurality of longitudinal passages disposed about a central passage communicating with said bore and said chamber, the said chamber being arranged to receive a supply of feed water under pressure and to serve as a preliminary vaporizing chamber therefor, the steam formed in said chamber passing through said heat exchanger and being conducted in said channel around saidhaatiiggv element whereby to substantially superheat said `steam, and means for regulating the temperature of said heating element and the rate of flow of feed water in such relation whereby substantially instantaneous generation of steam is eiected.

2. A steam generator of the character described comprising a body member having two chambers one above the other and communicating with each other by means of a heat exchanger, a heating element disposed in the lower of said chambers and arranged to heat the upper of said chambers, the said upper chamber being connected to a source of water supplied thereto under pressure and serving as a preliminary vaporizing chamber, the steam from said chamber passing through said heat exchanger and being conducted around a heating element in said lower chamber for super heating, a plurality of steam discharge outlets communicating with said lower chamber and arranged to discharge steam as it is generated whereby the formation of excessive steam pressure in said generator is avoided, and means for regulating the temperature of said heating element and the rate of iow of feed water in such relation whereby substantially instantaneous generation of steam is eifected.

3. A steam generator of the character described comprising a body member having two chambers one above the other, and communicating means therefor, said means comprising a heat exchanger formed of a body portion having a plurality of longitudinal passages disposed about a central passage communicating with said two chambers, a heating element in the lower of said chambers, a plurality of steam discharge outlets communicating with said lower chamber, the said upper chamber being connected to a source of feed water supplied thereto under pressure, valve means for regulating the feeding of the water into said generator whereby the volume of steam generated is correspondingly regulated, the steam being discharged as it is generated whereby the formation of excessive steam pressure in said generator is avoided.

4. The combination of a steam generator and means for delivering feed water thereto under pressure, the said generator comprising a body member having a preliminary vaporizing chamber and a steam superheating chamber, an electrical heating element disposed within said super-heating chamber, a heat exchanger in contact with the said heating element and serving 'as the communicating means for both of said chambers, means in said superheating chamber for conducting steam vapor over and around said heating element whereby to superheat said vapor, and means for discharging said superheated vapor.

5. The combination of a steam generator and means for delivering feed water thereto under pressure, the said generator comprising a body member having a preliminary vaporizing chamber and a steam superheating chamber, an electrical heating element disposed within said superheating chamber, a heat exchanger in contact with the said heating element and serving as the communicating means for both of said chambers, means comprising a helical channel in said superheating chamber for conducting steam vapor around said heating element whereby to superheat said vapor, and a plurality of orices for discharging steam therethrough.

6. A portable steam generator of the character described comprising a body portion having two longitudinally extending bores, one above the other in communication with each other and in heat exchanging relation, a sleeve having a helical channel and disposed within the lower of said bores, an electrical heating element disposed in said sleeve, said sleeve having proximate to each end an opening, each communicating with a chamber provided in said body position, and conduits communicating with said chambers and with discharge orifices provided in said body portion.

7. A portable steam generator of the character described comprising a body portion having upper and lower longitudinally extending bores, the upper of said bores in communication with the lower of said bores and with a source of feed-water supplied thereto under pressure, said lower bore having a helical channel on the surface thereof and arranged to receive an electric heating element therein, the said heating element serving to boil the water in said upper bore and to super heat the steam as the same is caused to flow in the channel of said lower bore around said heating element, steam chambers communicating with said lower bore and with discharge orifices and arranged to receive condensate and prevent the same from passing to said orices.

HERBERT L. SHAPIRO. OLE SKUTLEY. 

